Newsroom
Family Releases Video of Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest by DHS Agents
The family of Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident and former Columbia University student, released footage showing his recent arrest by Department of Homeland Security agents in New York City. The video captures the plainclothes officers forcing Khalil into an unmarked vehicle while refusing to provide identification or a warrant.
Mahmoud Khalil Sues Columbia Over Alleged Systemic Anti-Palestinian Bias
A former Columbia University graduate student and the Palestine Working Group filed a federal lawsuit Monday, accusing the institution of fostering a hostile environment that enabled the harassment of pro-Palestinian students. The litigation follows a period of intense campus unrest and the targeted detention of student activists.
Trump Judicial Nominees Evade Basic Questions on 2020 Election
Every one of the 27 federal judges appointed by Donald Trump during his second term has refused to directly acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election or to characterize the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as an insurrection, according to a report by the advocacy group Demand Justice.
Nepal Prime Minister Resigns as Anti-Corruption Protests Turn Deadly
At least 22 people have been killed in Nepal as a youth-led uprising against systemic corruption and government impunity spiraled into violence. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday after demonstrators stormed the parliament building and set fire to the homes of several high-ranking officials across Kathmandu.
Trump Administration Purges DOJ and FBI Staff Over Jan. 6 Probes
A sweeping dismissal of senior FBI officials and federal prosecutors on Friday has sent shockwaves through the Justice Department, targeting personnel involved in the investigation of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The move signals a broad administrative effort to overhaul the federal law enforcement ranks under the new Trump presidency.
Don Lemon and Georgia Fort Arrested Following Church Protest Coverage
Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were taken into custody by federal agents on Friday, marking a contentious escalation in the Justice Department’s pursuit of reporters covering a January 18 anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis. Critics immediately decried the move as a direct assault on First Amendment protections.
Global Democracy Faces Record Decline as US Labeled 'Patient Zero'
“Whatever happens in the US goes global,” says Kevin Casas-Zamor of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. As democratic indicators hit thirty-year lows worldwide, the watchdog identifies the current American administration as the primary catalyst for a spreading epidemic of election denialism and institutional erosion.
Federal Court Halts Trump Administration's Civil Service Loyalty Test
A US District Court has blocked the Trump administration from requiring federal job applicants to pledge allegiance to presidential policy initiatives, marking a significant legal victory for labor unions arguing that the mandate violates the nonpartisan nature of the civil service and compromises First Amendment protections for public employees.
AI Leaders Call for Pacing, But Skeptics Demand Hard Regulation
As Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that recursive self-improvement and recent autonomous cyberattacks necessitate a deliberate slowdown in AI development, a chorus of progressive lawmakers and experts is rejecting industry self-regulation, arguing that only federal oversight and criminal liability can truly mitigate the existential risks posed by these technologies.
Doctors Without Borders Rejects Lobby Group’s Push for UK Ban
A British pro-Israel lobby group has petitioned Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to investigate and potentially proscribe Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), citing alleged ties between two deceased staff members and militant factions in Gaza. The medical organization labeled the accusations baseless, insisting it maintains strict neutrality in its humanitarian operations.
Escalating Yemen Conflict Displaces Over 85,000 Civilians
More than 85,800 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen over the past week as Houthi forces seized control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime artery for global oil shipments. The renewed violence has shattered the 2022 truce, triggering a humanitarian emergency along the nation’s western coast.
Lina Khan Argues Existing Laws Are Enough to Curb Dangerous AI
As congressional leaders and the White House resist calls for new AI regulation, former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan argues that the government already possesses the legal authority to hold companies accountable for releasing unvetted, defective, or dangerous products that threaten public safety and cybersecurity.
Israeli Minister Threatens to Revoke Filmmakers' Citizenship
Culture Minister Miki Zohar has moved to strip the citizenship of documentarians Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, labeling their Venice Film Festival award-winning work as treasonous. The film, NAZA, investigates the Israeli military’s use of artificial intelligence to calculate civilian casualties during airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
UN Reports 500 Healthcare Workers Killed in Gaza Since October
The United Nations confirmed that Israeli military operations in Gaza have claimed the lives of 500 healthcare workers since October, averaging two deaths per day. This grim milestone arrives as global humanitarian groups demand urgent international investigations into what they describe as systematic attacks on medical infrastructure and staff.
Sanders Urges Trump to Negotiate AI Treaty with China
Senator Bernie Sanders is pushing President Donald Trump to engage in high-stakes diplomacy with China, arguing that the two nations must secure a comprehensive treaty to pause advanced artificial intelligence development and prevent the technology from operating outside of human control.
Brent Crude Tops $109 as Saudi Pipeline Strike Deepens Energy Crisis
Brent crude surged past $109 per barrel on Monday following confirmation that a drone strike has crippled Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West Pipeline. With satellite imagery revealing extensive fire damage to a key pumping facility, the infrastructure is expected to remain offline for up to five weeks, threatening global supply chains.
EPA Moves to Scrap Power Plant Emissions Rules
The Trump administration has announced plans to dismantle federal regulations limiting planet-heating emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin confirmed the rollback at a G20 energy meeting in Houston, marking a major shift in climate policy that critics condemn as a direct boon to the fossil fuel sector.
Trump Dismisses AI Regulation, Citing His Own 'High IQ'
President Donald Trump rejected the necessity of federal AI guardrails on Monday, asserting that his personal intellect is sufficient to oversee the complex technology. The declaration, posted to Truth Social, dismissed growing warnings from industry experts and characterized concerns over artificial intelligence as a conspiratorial effort favoring China.
US Air Force Secretary Confirms Deployment of Orbital Space Weapons
In a departure from long-standing diplomatic ambiguity, U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed Monday that the United States has deployed space-control weapons into orbit. Speaking at an Air & Space Forces Association conference in Maryland, Meink stated these assets are intended to defend the joint force against hostile adversary action.
DHS Watchdog Report Confirms Abuse at Alligator Alcatraz Detention Camp
While Donald Trump joked about the Florida Everglades facility serving as a reptile-filled deterrent for migrants, a Department of Homeland Security inspector general report has revealed that the true danger to detainees came from the staff operating the now-shuttered Florida Soft-Sided Facility, colloquially known as Alligator Alcatraz.
Amnesty Report Details Torture and Disappearances in Florida Prisons
A new Amnesty International report reveals that conditions at Florida's Krome North Service Processing Center and the Everglades Detention Facility, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," have escalated into systematic human rights violations, with detainees facing prolonged solitary confinement, physical abuse, and what investigators classify as torture.
Allegations of Torture Emerge From Krome Detention Center
Detainees at the Florida facility colloquially dubbed Alligator Alcatraz report harrowing conditions, including maggot-infested meals, constant illumination, and the confiscation of religious texts. These accounts emerge as the Krome Detention Center begins processing individuals swept up in the latest federal mass deportation campaign, sparking intense scrutiny from state officials.
Progressive Groups Launch Campaign to Draft AOC and Ro Khanna for 2028
Two influential advocacy groups, Progressive Democrats of America and RootsAction, are launching a coordinated push to draft Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna into the 2028 presidential race, positioning the pair as essential alternatives to an establishment field they characterize as beholden to corporate interests and the status quo.
Macklemore Exits Sheeran Tour Following Pressure from Stadium Owners
Rapper Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s upcoming US tour dates, a move the artist attributes to a coordinated effort by stadium owners. The rapper claims billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft led an ultimatum, threatening to block Sheeran from major venues unless Macklemore was removed from the lineup.
Columbia Students Occupy Hamilton Hall in Gaza Protest
Pro-Palestinian student protesters stormed Hamilton Hall at Columbia University early Tuesday, renaming the historic building in honor of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed in Gaza. The escalation follows a wave of student suspensions and marks a sharp turn in the ongoing campus standoff over university divestment policies.
Silicon Valley’s AI Warnings Met With Skepticism in Washington
As tech titans Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Dario Amodei call for guardrails on artificial intelligence, digital rights advocates and lawmakers are pushing back. They argue that allowing the industry to dictate its own oversight is a dangerous mistake that ignores the need for independent, public-interest regulation.
Texas Landowners Sue to Halt Big Bend Border Wall
A coalition of ranchers, conservationists, and business owners has launched a legal challenge against the Trump administration, arguing that the government fabricated an emergency to justify building a 30-foot wall through the remote, environmentally sensitive Big Bend region of the Texas-Mexico border.
Trump Tax Proposal Threatens Benefits for Hundreds of Thousands of Children
A proposed rule from the Treasury Department and IRS threatens to strip tax credit refunds from immigrant families, potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of US citizen children. By reclassifying key tax credits as federal public benefits, the administration aims to restrict financial aid for those lacking specific immigration statuses.
AI Infrastructure Boom Fuels Surge in Toxic 'Forever Chemicals'
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure is driving a global surge in the production of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, according to a report released Monday by the Swedish nonprofit ChemSec, complicating international efforts to curb the health risks associated with these persistent pollutants.
Mitch McConnell Returns to Senate Following Three-Month Absence
After a three-month disappearance that sparked intense speculation regarding his health and fitness for office, 84-year-old Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The Kentucky Republican, who intends to retire at the end of his current term, appeared briefly to announce his intention to resume voting.